Competition
by Rose Wilde Irish
Summary: Zelenka has a chat with Weir.
1. Competition

Title: Competition

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis

Rating: PG

Pairing: Sparky, Weir/Zelenka

Summary: John finds he has a rival for his affections.

Notes: ForLittle Red

* * *

John grit his teeth and sighed. It was getting ridiculous. 

Every time he tried to grab just a moment alone with Elizabeth, Dr. Zelenka was there.

Sometimes he was nattering excitedly with her, sometimes just hovering and killing the mood (and his nerve). But more often than not, nowadays, Zelenka was part of the equation.

Dammit.

He was going to have to drop the nonchalance, he knew it. Screw casual conversation and accidental meetings, he was going to have to grab the bull by the horns and just get in there.

Ask Elizabeth to join him for dinner, maybe.

Yes...yes, he liked this plan. It had potential. And if he worked it into conversation about Atlantis, she could maybe construe it as a working meal. He could work his charm during the meal, and insure that they really spoke very little about that particular four letter word. When she looked back on the meal, she'd realize how entertaining he was, maybe seek him out more at meals. And other times. If he was lucky.

Oh, damn, he had it bad, didn't he?

He gathered the shreds of his courage, wondered if he couldn't simply face the Wraith single-handedly instead, and, squaring his shoulders, marched into the command center.

To spy Elizabeth laughing at something Zelenka had just said, his hands gesturing wildly.

_Dammit_. The man was stealing his routine!

Momentum had carried him too far into the room to turn tail and run, despite his nerve having done exactly that. Too many eyes were on him, acknowledging him. And now those eyes included Elizabeth's.

"Major," she greeted warmly.

"Doctor," he replied, making it vaguely teasing. He nodded to Zelenka and had that nod returned in kind—stiff, slightly formal, and a little wary.

He cleared his throat. "I was wondering if you'd be free to discuss defense strategies a bit later," he said, and cringed. He'd been so much more suave in his head. But there, he didn't have an audience.

"Certainly. What time is good for you?"

_Here goes,_ he thought, throat tight and palms sweating. It felt _exactly_ like high school. "How about joining me for dinner?"

The look on her face was equal parts surprise and regret. "I'd love to...but I've already promised Radek I'd join him for dinner to discuss power options. Would you care to join us?"

Zelenka, that bastard, managed to look both faintly smug and alarmed. John's eyes narrowed unconsciously and the other man gulped. "No, no, I think that much work discussion would be bad on the digestion," he said with a smile._And I wouldn't have the nerve to drop the work talk with an audience,_ he thought. Of course, if he _did_ join them, neither would Zelenka...

"Another time, then?" It could be wistful thinking, but he could swear Elizabeth sounded vaguely disappointed.

He nodded. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Actually, we could meet I after /I dinner if you like. Radek might have information that could help with defense."

He couldn't stop the smile from threatening to break into a full-fledged grin. Meeting her_after _dinner would insure the dinner was brief and mostly shop talk. Of course, of a necessity so would_his_ conversation with her, but he'd take what he could get.

"Sounds like a plan," he said, happily, and enjoyed the look of discomfiture on Zelenka's face. He nodded to Elizabeth and then to Zelenka, meeting the man's gaze directly and not without a little bit of challenge.

_Game on,_ he thought. This was one fight he was determined to win.

fin


	2. Intel

Title: Intel

Author: Rose Wilde-Irish

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Sparky, Weir/Zelenka

Summary: John goes to gather some intel, but things go horribly, horribly wrong. Set after _Competition_.

Notes: In rough form. Spoilers for _Childhood's End_.

* * *

"What do you mean, 'what's up between the two of you'?" John put as much puzzlement into his voice as he could.

"Oh, come on, Major, give me credit for the brains we both know I possess. Zelenka was in here earlier, asking questions about _you_."

Inwardly, John winced. Outwardly, he blinked innocently. "What was he asking about me?"

Rodney rolled his eyes and sighed. "What type of boss you were, were you likely to take personal feelings out on a person, how badly you could hurt a man, whether you'd spoken with me about off-world missions for him, you know. Standard stuff you'd ask... _if_ something was up."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Major, that is completely impossible, given that I've _just explained_ how both of you have now come in to pump me for information about the other. Now, unless you want me to either dig up the reasons for myself, or conclude that the two of you have some latent desire to start picking out china patterns together some time in the future, I suggest you tell me what's. going._on_. " Rodney folded his arms and gave John his patented Stubborn Look.

John was getting awfully tired of Rodney's Stubborn Look. "McKay. I'm trying to assess Zelenka's potential for future off-world missions." He gave his best Firm Commander Look.

It bounced off Rodney without reaction. "And that's why you need to know, what was it exactly, 'what kind of a man Dr. Zelenka is'?"

John nodded, feeling his stomach sink. This wasn't going to end well.

"And asking if he's 'likely to be a little underhanded about things'?"

John closed his eyes and prayed, then cracked one open. Nope, Rodney was still in front of him, intact and in one piece, and the ground hadn't swallowed himself up. Looks like there was no avoiding it. "I was trying," he drawled slowly, "to make sure_he_ wouldn't be the type of person to swipe a ZPM from a planet full of kids with no other means of defense." He leaned back a touch, a little smugly. Maybe he _had_ managed to weasel out of it.

One look at Rodney's face told him how wrong he was. "If that's the story you wish to stick to, Major, go right ahead. I'd be happy to sort through this puzzle on my own time. Because we all know how good I am with puzzles, don't we?"

John decided now was a good time for a strategic withdrawal. "Just think about it, McKay, and get back to me. I'd like to be able to work up some mission personnel for the future," he said as he walked towards the door.

"Fine, fine, but remember one thing, Major," Rodney said as he made it to the hallway. Rodney's voice rose a bit as he exited the room. "I'm not exactly subtle about these things!"

Groaning, John increased his pace. With his luck, Rodney would go to Elizabeth about it.

The thought alone made him trip.

fin


	3. Enemy Action

Title: Enemy Action

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis

Author: Rose Wilde-Irish

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Sparky, Weir/Zelenka

Summary: Zelenka speaks to Weir.

Notes: Slight spoilers forHot Zone.

* * *

"Radek, are you sure nothing's wrong?" Elizabeth regarded him with a suspicious eye, thinking he seemed a little more remote than usual.

It took a moment for her words to penetrate. "Hmm?" he said, pushing back from the railing and looking from the sea to her. "Oh. Ne, nothing is...wrong, exactly."

"But there's something bothering you." It wasn't a question. Their little chats had become habit, and Elizabeth was now fully aware of the signs of different moods in her friend.

He flashed his quick, bright smile, raising an answering one of her own. She wondered if it were possible not to enjoy a smile of his. "It's nothing. A...personal matter. And compared with the problems we're facing..." His voice trailed off as he stared out to sea again, eyes dark and troubled.

Elizabeth laid a comforting hand over his. "I understand if you don't wish to discuss it, but really...just because it's personal doesn't mean it doesn't get to you." She smiled back at him, noted how he seemed to brighten like a plant in the sun. He smiled again, a lopsided one this time, with a little more substance behind it. His thumb reached around to give her hand atop his a slight squeeze before withdrawing it.

"Atlantis is truly blessed, Elizabeth," he said, and she couldn't help but notice that he I still /I blushed slightly when he used her name, "because we have not only capable leader but a good person in charge, as well."

It was her turn to blush. Radek Zelenka was a puzzle she was enjoying putting together, full of contradictions and seeming impossibilities. This man before her was willing to go toe-to-toe with a wired and annoyed I McKay /I , despite his mild demeanor. He'd faced certain death with quiet dignity during the nanovirus scare, and had impressed her on numerous occasions since. It was a fine line to walk, between professional and personal, especially knowing the way he felt about her.

If it wasn't for the very real concern she had for his feelings, it would be a great ego boost. As it was, she enjoyed his company far more than she should, knowing what she did.

"Thank you, Radek," she said, warmly. "Ah...it isn't something that might complicate the next staff meeting, or the next crisis, is it?"

His eyes got a slight glazed over look that she recognized from many dealings with the science contingent. Her words had triggered something…some connection within him, and now his attention was focused elsewhere. She smothered a smile, knowing he probably wouldn't have noticed (or at least called attention to it while the thoughts were firing rapidly, anyway). "No," he said, distracted. "No, I don't think this person would be so petty as to engage in...anything unseemly."

He gave a distracted smile, eyes clicking into focus on her, and sighed. "In any case, I must go. I have a theorem to test...thank you for your company, Elizabeth. I promise, I will not allow my…personal problems to interfer." Again he smiled, reminding her of how radically his face changed to reflect his moods. She smiled and nodded as well to him.

He nodded as well, and left, muttering quietly in Czech., "Ačkoliv Jsem přesvědčen o až k nestihnout vlak do bitva proti člen určitý hrozný Člověk vyšší hodnosti." She'd turned away from him as he moved, but the last little bit made her spin and stare.

The Czech she recognized was limited, but she was certain she'd heard the equivalent of "Major"...

Her lips thinned as she considered, not liking one bit any of the explanations her mind came up with.

Perhaps it was time to get to the bottom of this.

fin


End file.
